Ouzel
by jaqtkd
Summary: After Freya's death, Merlin is feeling especially low and under-appreciated, but a chance encounter with an unusual creature starts to help him with the healing process. However, nothing in Camelot is ever as straight forward as it seems and Merlin's new friend has an agenda of her own.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

_They gathered together for the first time in years, summoned by their leader to discuss the ongoing famine. They were all small, cold and weak; pale imitations of their former, majestic selves, and the lead female was shocked at how much the journey down here had tired even her – one of the strongest. There was so little food around nowadays though – barely enough for the current population to survive never mind the next generation. Something urgently needed to be done._

"_We must leave here and find a better world to live in," the leader declared. "It is our only hope of survival."_

"_But to journey at this time?" she said, voicing the concern the others felt. "It is such a great risk for us to take."_

"_To travel in the cold months will mean our certain death," the leader replied. "And seeing how little food is available, I don't believe we can risk remaining here for any longer." _

"_But how are we to travel at all?" a young one asked. "I have been told that venturing outside will mean our certain death."_

"_That is correct," the leader confirmed. "Such exposure will kill us instantly and that means we must summon those who can transport us." _

_Everyone was shocked at the statement. There had been little reason to work such magic for very many years._

"_Do we have the energy for such a feat?" she asked him._

"_If we wait any longer then we certainly will not." There more cries – of agreement and of fear. "I do not think we have any choice but to attempt our escape now," the leader insisted. "If we do so, we stand some chance of finding enough food to support all of us and the next generation. If we stay here I honestly believe we shall all perish."_

"_Let us begin then," _she said, giving her reluctant support. _"Let us start the summoning."_

~o~0~o~

**Shortly After 2x09 – The Lady of the Lake**

Merlin slouched down the small flight of stairs leading from his bedchamber and ambled over to the main table to join Gaius for breakfast. The young man's skin was paler than usual, his cheeks even more prominent and his eyes were red and swollen. He felt his mentor's eyes on him the whole time but kept his own averted; simply picking up his spoon and absent-mindedly stirring the porridge in front of him, trying to summon the energy to lift it up to his mouth.

"Oh, Merlin. It pains me to see you like this," Gaius said. "I wish there was something I-"

"-There isn't, it's fine it's..." The young man fought back more tears as he briefly lifted his head to glance up at his mentor, but the look of sympathy he was being given made him feel even more tearful. He pulled his attention back down to the spoon and stirred some more. "I'll be fine soon, I'm sure."

"I really am very sorry, my boy. I had no idea how strong your feelings for Freya were."

"Look, I said it's fine!" Merlin snapped and then winced at his own bluntness. "I'm sorry, Gaius, but I really don't want to talk about it and, well, I _can't_ talk about it with..." He winced again, feeling guilty about what he'd almost said.

"I understand. Why would you want to talk to an old man about your feelings? Especially me."

"No …" He shook his head, feeling guilty. "I didn't mean it like that, I..."

"I know, but you might like to talk to someone of your own age?"

"I can't do that either. They can't know what happened, especially not Arthur."

He gritted his teeth as he said it – more emotions battling in his head. What was wrong with him? Why did he have to be like this? Why did he have to feel so strongly, love so deeply and then hurt so much because he couldn't have it? Any of it.

First Will and then Freya, and he wasn't even able to share his grief with those he cared about most because to do so would reveal his true self which, in turn, would put his life in danger and Gaius' for knowingly sheltering him. Merlin wanted their friendship, their love and their trust, but how could they really be his friends when there was this huge part of him that they could never see or understand. Why would Arthur and Morgana consider him a friend anyway? Even without the magic issue they were destined to stay apart – nobility and commoners never mixed which meant he couldn't become close to them in the way he would like, even if they _did_ feel the same way about him.

A knock on the door was loud enough to make Merlin jump and force him away from his preoccupation.

"Sorry to disturb you at this hour, Gaius," the soldier said as he entered the room. "But I have a message for you from the king."

"Thank you," the old man said as he took the note. He read it with a frown and briefly grumbled before heading towards his supplies on a nearby shelf – dismissing the messenger with a wave of the hand.

"I'm to journey with a small party of knights to deal with an outbreak of sickness at the east of the town," he told Merlin without turning around from his search.

"You want me to come along?" the young man asked in a bored voice, confident that such a task would be very much easier than his usual work for Arthur.

"No, the area will be sealed off and under quarantine until we've established what the problem is, so I need you to stay here. Uther doesn't want the illness spreading to the citadel." The physician picked up a jar and nodded his approval, placing it carefully on the bench behind him.

Merlin scoffed. "Doesn't mind putting _you_ in danger though, apparently."

"I'll be fine, it's part of my job after all but..." Gaius picked up another bottle, looking at it closely. "...I _am_ running seriously low on supplies here and will need your help to restock them. Could you do that this afternoon, whilst I discuss this situation with the king? I'll be setting off at first light tomorrow."

"Well, I need to attend to Arthur and..."

"Then perhaps you could ask the prince if he'll spare you for the job. I can't be running around out there today _and_ get everything else ready in time."

"Well, I can certainly _ask_ him," Merlin replied as he rose from the chair and grabbed his jacket. "I wouldn't hold your breath though, you know what he's like."

"Merlin, you've hardly touched your porridge."

He shrugged. "Not really hungry."

Gaius sighed and shook his head in disbelief as he watched the far-too-skinny young man slouch dejectedly out of the door.

~o~0~o~

"You're late again, Merlin," Arthur observed blandly as his servant entered his chambers balancing a breakfast tray precariously on one arm. The prince's tone was rather more gentle than in times past as apparently even _he'd_ been aware that something wasn't quite right with his servant these last few days, although Merlin didn't expect this relaxed attitude would last for much longer.

"Yes, sorry about that," he replied. "Gaius got your father's message about that sickness and was giving me instructions and some errands to run."

"Oh, right... do you know what's going to happen about that?" Arthur asked, yawning widely.

"Gaius and some knights are going there at first light tomorrow and he..." Merlin looked up from his chores. "He asked if I could collect some herbs for him this afternoon as he's a bit low on supplies?"

Arthur stared suspiciously at him for several long moments. "I don't suppose I have much choice in the matter then, but it really is very bad timing, seeing Father has put Morgana and I in charge of welcoming our guests later this week."

"Oh, who's coming?"

Arthur gave him a long, hard stare. "Not something I would normally feel the need to share with a servant at this point."

Merlin shrugged. "You were the one who brought it up."

"I have absolutely _no_ idea why I put up with you."

"Because my natural charm and amazing good looks are guaranteed to brighten up your day, Sire?" Merlin replied, forcing himself to find a bit of his old cheek from somewhere.

Arthur opened his mouth to respond to that but was stopped short by a knock at the door. He glared at Merlin before changing what he was obviously been about to say.

"Come in."

"Good morning, Arthur, good morning, Merlin." Morgana strode in with a big smile, Gwen just a couple of steps behind.

"My lady," Merlin replied, bowing respectfully and Arthur glared at him, apparently frustrated at how polite his servant always was to everyone but him.

"I just thought you may want to check over these lists I've made for our guests' visit, Arthur," Morgana said. "And I would also like Merlin to go down to the kitchens with the menus and run a couple of other errands, if he's able. We could use all the hands we can get at the moment."

"Can't Guinevere do that?"

"No, Arthur, she can't," Morgana retorted. "I need her to deal with the accommodation and housekeeping and I thought you'd rather have _our_ servants deal with this instead of giving the work to more minor staff."

"I'm not sure I've ever considered Merlin to be _senior_ staff," Arthur scoffed. Merlin raised his eyes to the ceiling and Gwen giggled slightly.

"That much is obvious," Morgana said. "But some of us here _do_ have faith in him." She turned to smile at Merlin and he felt his heart give a little skip, despite himself.

Not only was Morgana incredibly beautiful, but she'd also been _so_ kind and attentive to Merlin since he had arrived in Camelot that he'd easily imagined himself to be in love with her last year. Of course he had just as quickly tried to put such thoughts out of his head. Even if she _did_ feel the same way – which was unlikely – such a relationship would not be possible; a grand lady like her and a common servant like him, even if they did both have magic? No, such feelings were best kept hidden.

Along with everything else.

"And now I'm going to be without a servant for the whole day," the prince complained. "Because Gaius has him for the afternoon due to that sickness."

"I'm sure you'll survive," Morgana responded brusquely. "Well?"

"Yes, yes, fine. Off you go, Merlin. Try not to mess anything up, will you?"

~o~0~o~

Merlin handed Morgana's list to Audrey in the kitchens, not at all surprised to find the head cook even less appreciative of him that his master had been – although he had no idea what he'd done to offend the lady. He had always gone out of his way to be polite to her, but she'd eyed him with suspicion from the very first moment he'd set foot in her kitchens and nothing he'd said or done since had been enough for her to change her opinion of him.

Luckily Merlin received far more enthusiastic welcomes from the other kitchen staff who, along with most of the servants in Camelot, seemed to get on with him very well, even if the young ladies' almost constant giggling in his presence confused him no end.

And then there was Anna.

She was an especially quiet and shy kitchen girl and, before he'd met Freya, Merlin had been working hard to gather the courage to ask her out. He had even written her a poem – one he was especially proud of – but his courage had failed him at the last moment and he'd left it unsigned for her to find and quickly lost the nerve to pursue the relationship any further.

And now it just didn't feel right somehow – not so soon after loosing the love of his life – and so the two of them just stood there that morning; cheeks bright red, both looking at their boots and mumbling nonsensical niceties as the silence between their words grew longer with every passing heart beat. In the end it was almost a relief when Audrey shouted at the girl to return to her work and Merlin took the opportunity to head back home to collect Gaius' list in order to start gathering the supplies the physician needed.

The young warlock decided to go to the western meadow today; a much longer walk than to his usual spot, but a place that was likely to contain _all_ the plants he needed in one trip. The day was cool but sunny, and the fresh air soon made Merlin feel a little better, even if the beauty of the flowers and the feel of the breeze on his face meant he was again dwelling on Freya and his life in Camelot in general. He had been prepared to leave everything and everyone behind for her and couldn't help feeling that he had been punished for that decision somehow. Told off by destiny for daring to cross her and attempting to carve out a different life for himself.

But at least out here he could be himself. Here, with the sun on his face, the birds singing and the feel of the natural magic of the world coursing through him far more powerfully than within the stone walls of Camelot. How odd it was that he felt more content and less lonely out here on his own then he ever did in a castle full of people.

Merlin sighed deeply and continued with his task, fighting hard to enjoy the lovely weather and beautiful views and to stop feeling sorry for himself and his lot in life.

Would he ever truly be free?

~o~0~o~

* * *

_**A/N:**_ _This story has been written for 'The Heart of Camelot' Chronicles 2014 and based on my drabble 'The Cup of Life' (which can be found in my 'Hearts of Camelot' collection - chapter 44). This will initially be a chapter a week before hopefully increasing to twice a week in June (Probably 16 chapters in total)_

_Apologies for being so quiet recently, but I've been focusing on one of my Original Stories. In fact that was the main reason I got into fanfiction - in order to get some feedback. There's a link to 'The Seven' in my PP if anyone's interested. _


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

_Something had gone horribly wrong. _

_One moment she was fleeing with the others - soaring high as her transport took her away from their old world and towards a new home - and the next there was pain and the sensation of falling, before a terrifying stillness made her fully aware of her plight. _

_She started to feel the cold of the outside world slowly seeping in and the hunger bite as the meagre source of food began to fade, coupled with the realisation that she was now totally alone. _

_She couldn't survive out here without her transport and his life was rapidly ebbing away due to pain, exposure and shock. Leaving had been a gamble - they had all been aware of that - but it was only now, faced with her certain death, that she felt genuine fear for the first time._

_And then she sensed it. Food, coming closer. So much food and so much energy. Could she move there? Dare she attempt to leave her transport and transfer over to this new one? _

_But, even as she thought it, she knew it would be impossible. She could not survive even a brief exposure to the outside, not unless this source came close enough to touch and, at the moment, she was so weak that she doubted she'd have the strength even then._

_However, within moments the pain started to ease and her strength begun to return as warmth and nutrients entered her. Then she was moving again and she felt safe, warm and more sated than she could ever remember in her life . _

_She had been saved. _

~o~0~o~

It was early evening by the time Merlin had collected everything Gaius had asked for and was able to head back towards Camelot. As he reached the main track next to the meadow, the young man hoisted the bag further onto his shoulder and started to lengthen his stride, but soon felt something tug at him, demanding his attention.

Hunting for the source, Merlin turned his head to see a small, black form lying worryingly still at the side of the road, feathers blowing in the evening breeze, and he automatically headed towards it.

"Poor thing, I wonder what happened to you," he said, moving closer.

He had expected to find it dead but a sudden, unexpected twitch made him jump and cry out before cautiously edging forward once more. He was now worried about how badly injured it was and if it would have been better for it to have been killed outright and not made to suffer. If it _was_ injured then it would surely die anyway and, if in pain, Merlin might need to put it out of its misery and he really, _really_ didn't want to have to deal with that.

He crouched down next to the small, black form and, again couldn't help but jump slightly as it moved once more; this time flapping vigorously as it forced itself up into a standing position, seeming in very much better condition than the practical corpse it had been a few moments before.

"Here, I promise I won't hurt you." After a quick glance to check he was alone, the young warlock held out his hands and pushed his magic forward, both to calm and to heal. Responding to this treatment, his patient hopped closer, tipping its head, contemplating him. "You're a blackbird," Merlin declared with a smile. "But it seems you've broken a wing." He bit his lip, contemplating. Now he looked closer, the bird seemed to be in much better shape than he'd first thought; perfectly healthy apart from that one obvious injury and, now his magic had eased the pain and he'd apparently gained its trust, Merlin felt it was less likely to die from shock as many wild animals were prone to do.

"Well, I'm sure Gaius will tell me off for this but, I can't leave you out here now. Come on, little bird, you can travel in the herb bag – a comfy nest for you – and hopefully we can make you better when we get back to Camelot."

~o~0~o~

"What is it with you and strays?" Gaius asked with a long suffering sigh as his ward showed him the addition to the herb collection. "Have I not told you before that such causalities rarely survive their injuries? There is usually a very good reason for their situation – nature's way of ensuring only the strongest survive."

"But he _is_ strong, look," Merlin insisted. "And it's only his wing. Please, Gaius. _Please_ let me try to heal him."

"We really don't have time for this, Merlin. We need to get these herbs prepared and I have to leave first thing tomorrow morning."

"But that won't take long, will it? Just tell me what I need to do and then leave him with me. I promise Ouzel won't cause you any problems."

"Ouzel?" Gaius frowned. "It's just a common blackbird, Merlin."

"Yes, I know, but I was thinking about the story of 'Culhwch and Olwen' and thought..."

Gaius smiled. "Ah yes, I see." The old man shook his head, suddenly more serious. "Is it wise to give it a name though? Either it won't survive the night or it will recover and return to the wild. Either way it's not a good idea for you to become too attached."

"You're probably right." Merlin shrugged. "But I feel I have to try to heal him if I can."

~o~0~o~

Merlin's sleep was fitful that night. He dreamt he was flying; soaring over the turrets of Camelot with a large group of shapeless, nameless friends, talking and planning in a language he couldn't fully understand.

His magic wrapped around him, safe and secure, and his senses were a strange mixture of the familiar and the extraordinary as he made decisions about the way to move his wings in order to fly, or discussed their urgent need to travel west. The sensations were amazing but unfamiliar to him, the thoughts communicated without speech, their decisions made as if they were one being. And yet, despite the excitement about the journey, the group was fearful too and there was this strange, unfamiliar type of hunger which couldn't be sated and made Merlin feel uncharacteristically panicked.

There was no doubt now that they had to leave. The need was urgent, the hunger all consuming and yet, as Merlin took off and flew with the others, he felt such an amazing sense of freedom and excitement to be on the wing, it was almost overwhelming. He loved seeing the unusual and dramatic views of Camelot far below, which seemed so perfectly accurate, even though he had never experienced the place from such a unique angle before.

Merlin and his abstract companions headed west, drifting lower to avoid a sudden danger from above. But then there was a boy with a sling shot, followed by a sharp pain in his side and, before he knew what was happening, he was spiralling downwards; the world spinning past at dizzying speed; trees and then sky and then trees and then flowers and then…

~o~0~o~

Merlin sat up with a low cry, and his eyes instantly sought the makeshift cage on his desk. A glance out of the window showed it to be dawn and the blackbird was awake, rustling his feathers as if disturbed by the sound Merlin had made.

"I think I just dreamt I was you, Ouzel," Merlin said. "Flying away from Camelot and then getting struck by a stone. Is that what happened?"

The blackbird just tipped his head as if contemplating the human in front of him before ruffling its feathers again. Merlin forced himself up and grabbed yesterday's half empty water skin, emptying it into the small dish in the bird's cage before yawning widely.

"Here's some dry bread and a few seeds for you. But I suppose I'd better get you some worms or something more filling later on," he continued as he started to dress. "If Arthur gives me a moment to myself, that is. I'm sure you must be hungry after your adventures yesterday."

He picked up his jacket and peered out into the main chambers to find it empty. It appeared Gaius had already left and now would not be back for several days. Merlin really wished he'd been allowed to go with his mentor and perhaps use his magic to help with the sickness, but Gaius wouldn't hear of such a thing, of course, not willing to put his charge into any sort of danger. He sighed and came back into his room, putting his jacket on.

"Off for another day of toil and lack of appreciation then," he mumbled. "They have no idea, Ouzel. No idea what I'm going through, what I've suffered. I consider them to be my friends but it always feels so one sided, do you know what I mean? I just wish they would understand exactly how I feel. If they knew, if they felt it too, then perhaps I might be appreciated more."

An unusual tickle on the back of his neck had Merlin turn to look at the cage again and he blinked, not quite believing what he was seeing. A strange hazy ball of light was hovering just next to the bird's beak, bouncing and pulsing with oranges, reds and yellows. Ouzel noticed it too, appearing suddenly agitated as he observed the light and hopping away to the other side of the cage, as if trying to escape from it. Merlin closed his eyes and shook his head, wondering if he was still dreaming and trying to force himself back to reality.

The world lurched and his ears buzzed loudly but, when he opened his eyes again, everything seemed to be back to normal. He looked around quickly but couldn't see or hear anything out of the ordinary and the blackbird had returned to its previous position, now apparently totally unconcerned.

With a sigh, Merlin picked up his jacket from the back of the chair and started to walk out of the room.

~o~0~o~

As he went to collect Arthur's breakfast, Merlin felt an odd detachment and something which was close to deja vu; as if he'd already completed his morning tasks and had now awoken to find he'd dreamt it all. He'd experienced that sensation before, usually when he was especially exhausted; a mundane dream about normal things which would keep repeating until he was completely confused as to whether he was awake or asleep. But this didn't feel quite the same - this felt real.

"I have your breakfast, Sire," he said as he entered the prince's chambers, still a bit disorientated. "Oh, you're up already."

Arthur was sitting at the table, already dressed, but made no reply – neither telling Merlin off for being late, nor teasing him as he usually did. Instead he just stared at his servant intently, quickly making the young man feel uncomfortable. "What? What is it?"

"You're feeling better today then?" Arthur asked.

"Better?"

"Back to your old self. No headache? Not hung over?"

Merlin frowned. "Hung over? What are you talking about? I haven't drunk any alcohol for weeks."

Arthur shrugged as he took a bite of food. "Well, you were certainly acting very strangely yesterday."

"Yesterday?" He frowned. "I hardly saw you yesterday, I was running Morgana's errands and collecting herbs for Gaius."

"Seriously?" Arthur's expression was a strange mixture of amusement and concern. "That was _two_ days ago, Merlin. Yesterday you spent the whole morning working for me – until I sent you away to sober up."

"What? I-I don't understand."

"Well, I'm glad to hear you weren't drinking on the job and I'm happy enough to let it go, as long as you don't make a habit of it but, honestly, you really weren't yourself. Anyway, if you _are_ back to normal then you can go and polish my armour. You made a terrible job of it yesterday."

Merlin opened his mouth to say he hadn't had a chance to clean Arthur's armour the day before but suddenly thought better of it. Hadn't he been thinking how odd everything felt earlier and whether or not he was truly awake? Perhaps he was still dreaming. Perhaps he would wake, yet again, and have to start the whole day over. With a shrug he left the prince and walked back out into the corridor, imagining himself back in his bed, willing himself to open his eyes.

"Good morning, Merlin. How are you feeling today?"

He looked up at Morgana suspiciously, noting the especially wicked glint in her eyes. "Fine. Why?"

"Any more poetry for me today?"

He stared at her wide-eyed. "P-poetry?"

She smiled broadly and moved a little closer, lowering her voice. "It really was very sweet, Merlin, and I'm certainly not complaining, but perhaps it's not the best idea for you to... court me, considering our positions."

"C-court?" he spluttered. "I... I'm sorry but, I didn't..."

"The poem was very good though," she continued. "Beautiful. I especially liked all the bird analogies; raven hair... blackbird's wings... heart soaring high like a bird taking flight..."

"Morgana, I'm really..."

She put a long finger to her lips. "Our little secret, Merlin but, thank you, it really was a lovely thing for you to do and I admit that I'm most impressed." Then she winked at him and left.

"Alright, what's going on?" he asked no-one in particular as he headed back downstairs

"Merlin..."

He sighed, raising his eyes upwards. _Now what?_

"Anna?"

"H-hello, Merlin." Her cheeks turned quickly pink. "A-about what you said yesterday..."

He winced. What had he done now? "Yes...?"

"I thought perhaps... a picnic? You know... if we can both get the time off."

"A picnic?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "Yes and I also wanted to say... I mean..." She looked up shyly again, her cheeks now glowing. "I'm pleased you asked me to be your... ah, sweetheart, I mean... I wasn't sure this last week if you'd perhaps changed your mind and..." She shrugged her shoulders. "Anyway, I'm pleased."

"Ah, yes," he replied, smiling back. "So am I."

Well, _that_ was unexpected but, in this case he definitely wasn't complaining, assuming he hadn't said or done anything stupid in addition to the proposition. "It won't be easy, it's true," he continued. "But, I'll see what I can do to arrange some time off."

She smiled at him again and, despite his total confusion about everything, Merlin bent down and pressed a gentle kiss to one of her bright pink cheeks.

~o~0~o~

* * *

_9/5/14_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

S_he felt so much stronger. Not only was the Transport recovering but she was now in a place crammed full of food. The walls were humming with it, there were crumbs on the surface of every object and large parcels were concealed under floor boards not too far away._

_And then there was Him – the one who had rescued her. Never before had she sensed so much life-giving sustenance held within one of those strange, water-filled creatures. Every time He moved closer to check on the Transport she felt herself grow stronger, and soon she was able to sense more about her savour and understand His words._

_The poor thing. She had never thought to feel sympathy for one of his kind, but she owed Him a huge debt and it was obvious to her that He was exceptionally lonely. She could sense the emotion from Him as well as hear it in His words, and it was something she understood only too well, now all the others had left this place to find a better world. Her kind were not meant to be alone._

_She decided there and then that she had to help Him as He had helped her._

~o~0~o~

**The Day Before**

"Hello."

Arthur woke up abruptly, confused by the quiet word spoken in such an unfamiliar way with such a familiar voice.

"Merlin, you're on time for once."

"Yes, I think so," his servant replied calmly.

"What about breakfast?" Arthur asked.

"Breakfast?" He blinked.

"Yes." There was a paused as both contemplated each other. Arthur sighed. "Merlin, where's my food?"

"Oh yes, of course." Merlin tipped his head as if listening to something and then nodded. "Yes, I understand now. See you in a little while." And he started to head towards the door.

"Wait. Stop!" Arthur shouted and Merlin did - so abruptly he almost fell over. Then he turned around and smiled. Smiled so brightly that Arthur was quite certain his servant must be drunk.

The prince got up and walked forwards, eyeing the tall young man suspiciously.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked.

"Me? Nothing. I'm very well. Thank you for asking."

"If you say so. Have you been drinking this early in the day?"

"Drinking?" Merlin tipped his head again, contemplating. "I had some water this morning."

"Breathe out," Arthur instructed, moving closer in order to smell his servant's breath.

Merlin blinked, looking at him intently with eyes wide and so open that, for a moment, Arthur felt a strange nervousness that he couldn't quite understand. His servant's breath when he followed the instructions smelt clean – no hint of alcohol – but, if he wasn't drunk or hung over, why was he acting so oddly?

"You're my friend," Merlin suddenly declared with another broad smile.

"Nooo... I'm the prince of Camelot and you're my servant," Arthur corrected firmly.

He shook his head firmly. "No, _definitely_ friends. That much is obvious."

"Go and get my breakfast, Merlin," Arthur said, turning away.

"You shouldn't be so mean, you know."

The unexpected comment had the prince turning quickly back, confused. "Mean? I'm not mean. In fact you have no idea just how easy going I am on you. There are some Lords here who beat their servants. You should be grateful."

Merlin's scoff gave Arthur some hope that his servant was returning to normal. "You just throw things at me instead."

"Yes, and if you don't bring me my breakfast soon, I shall give you yet another demonstration of my amazingly accurate aim. Now, go!"

"All right, all right. I'll go and get your food. Perhaps you'll be a bit nicer when you're not quite so hungry."

~o~0~o~

"Merlin!" She'd already called to him four times and had finally resorted to shouting his name. Finally, the young man turned, tipping his head and looking at her quizzically as if trying to remember something.

"Oh, hello, Gwen. How are you?"

"I'm fine." She frowned. "What about you?"

"I'm very well. Thank you for asking." He grinned broadly. "I just gave Arthur his breakfast."

"Right...?" Merlin sounded as if he'd just informed her he'd beaten the prince in a sword fight, rather than complete a chore he'd done almost every day for the last year and a half.

"You're also my friend," he suddenly declared.

"Of course I am," Gwen said with a smile. "Are you _sure_ you're feeling alright, Merlin."

He nodded, frowning slightly. "You don't think I'm useless, do you, Gwen? _You_ know how hard I work?"

"Of course I do." She smiled. "Is Arthur giving you a hard time again?"

"I think he always does." He frowned, tipping his head and studying her closely again. "We should spend more time together, I think. Talk more."

"If we ever found the time." She laughed. "You're quite right, of course, and you know I'm here for you if you ever need me."

"Good." He nodded seriously. "Good, I think that's important."

She put a hand on his arm. "I'm not sure you're quite yourself today, Merlin. Come and see me later and we can talk some more, yes?"

"Yes, Gwen. Thank you." He smiled brightly and walked away, whistling loudly and wildly, as if he were trying to copy a bird song rather than a normal tune.

~o~0~o~

After her usual morning chores Gwen returned to Morgana's chambers and had quite forgotten the earlier odd conversation with her friend until Morgana herself mentioned him.

"I just had the strangest encounter with Merlin," she announced with a broad grin.

"You too?" Gwen replied.

Morgana paused for a moment, obviously not expecting that response. "Did he recite poetry to you as well?"

Gwen blinked. "Poetry? No, he just... seemed a little different."

"Different? I'd say." Morgana smiled and Gwen was surprised to notice her cheeks colour slightly. "It was actually very good poetry."

"Merlin?"

Morgana nodded. "Very romantic."

Gwen grinned. "He _does_ have a crush on you. I thought so."

"Well, I suspected it too but, as I told him, it's probably not a good idea for him to be quite so obvious about it. I mean he recited it right there in the middle of a busy corridor."

"Really?" Gwen giggled before turning more serious. "You're quite right, of course though. Do you want me to talk to him about it?"

"Well, there's no rush. Perhaps... if he doesn't get the hint in a day or two then I suppose you could..."

Gwen raised an eyebrow at her. "You liked it, Morgana. You _liked_ the fact he flirted with you."

Her cheeks coloured even more. "Well, what lady wouldn't but... I mean... Merlin?" She shook her head. "No, of course not."

She grinned. "Whatever you say, my lady."

"Stop looking at me like that, Gwen."

"Like what?" she asked, desperately trying to keep a straight face.

"Just tell me how the preparations are going for the lady Caroline's accommodations."

~o~0~o~


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

_She was strong enough to change transports now, and who better than her saviour? A being who could provide her with so much food?_

_Unfortunately there was something she hadn't taken into account. The very fact that He had so much power was as much of a curse as it was a blessing. He was strong. Very strong. Strong enough to expel her instantly if He felt He were being threatened and so, unfortunately, she'd had to force herself on Him rather more firmly than was polite and use His own strength against Him. Take on far more food then she actually needed and use that to keep Him subdued. It was very bad manners, of course, but now she was away from the smaller creature, she really couldn't take the chance. In her current state she was in urgent need of His energy and had no way of hunting for what she required without His assistance._

_Control gained, she had even more delicate balancing work to do. She needed to be able to access His memories and feelings, whilst also ensuring He remained docile. Unfortunately, according to those of His friends she interacted with, she'd not been as successful as hoped; confusion seeping from them as they constantly asked after His health. _

_She would need to do very much better from now on if her mission was to be a success. _

_And, in order to complete _that_ task she would need to check the suitability of His friends, which would require Him to get very much closer to each of them. Now all she needed to was to work out how she was going to achieve this._

~o~0~o~

Merlin wished he could talk to Gaius about these odd periods of memory loss. Fortunately he was no longer loosing whole days, just smaller blocks of times when he'd find himself somewhere with no memory of how he'd got there or what had just happened – which was bad enough, of course.

Like early that morning, for example, when he suddenly realised he was standing close to Arthur in the prince's chambers with no memory of anything that had happened after waking up and checking on Ouzel.

And now it seemed, for some inexplicable reason, he was hugging Arthur.

"Ah... sorry I..." Merlin pulled away quickly from the prince and his muscles bunched instinctively as he prepared to duck and run away, but Arthur just stood there, blinking strangely, tipping his head to one side and viewing Merlin curiously.

"Most interesting," he said, quietly.

"Interesting?" Merlin asked cautiously. "What is?"

"Hello." And now the prince was just smiling at him, moving slightly closer, his eyes bright and focused entirely on his servant.

"Ah..." Merlin took a hasty step backwards and then quickly looked around the room, noticing the full breakfast tray on the prince's table and making a few quick deductions. "You've not eaten, Arthur. Look, here's breakfast." He glanced again at the tray and frowned. Not only could he not remember collecting the food this morning, but it also seemed to be a different selection than he'd normally chose.

"Yes, I should eat," the prince agreed. "It seems I need more food than you do."

"Hah!" Merlin replied, relaxing as Arthur started to act far more like his normal self.

"Come sit down with me, Merlin. There's more than enough here for the two of us."

_Then again..._

"Seriously?"

"Yes, of course," Arthur said, indicating his servant should take the chair next to his.

"The visitors are due tomorrow?" Merlin asked, quickly taking advantage of Arthur's rare generosity and grabbing a large piece of cheese as he took the offered seat.

The prince frowned and Merlin assumed he was still uncertain about sharing such news with his servant, even though he'd already found out quite a bit from Gwen and Morgana during the last couple of days.

"Yes, lord Alis and his sister Charlotte," Arthur replied, again surprising Merlin with his uncharacteristic openness. "Their father is a lord of great importance, it seems, and the brother is here to talk to the king about some treaty or another." He smiled brightly. "I'm sure it will be very interesting."

"Ha! Not what you usually say about such visits."

"Perhaps." Arthur was silent for a moment, chewing on a piece of bread and thinking. "You're looking tired, Merlin. Am I overworking you? Do you need some time off?"

Merlin almost chocked on the piece of bread he was eating. "What? Now? When we've so much to organise and I also have to cover for Gaius?" He shook his head. "Thanks, Arthur, it's nice of you to worry - a bit unusual - but... let's get through this visit first, shall we? Don't want to upset the visiting nobility."

"You're quite right, of course." Arthur nodded and took some more food. "They'll still be time for training though."

"As if you'd want to miss that," Merlin joked as he stood up. "Right then, let me go and get your armour."

"You've hardly eaten a thing."

"I'm fine. That's far more than I usually have."

"Oh..." Arthur frowned again, contemplating this.

Merlin looked at the prince suspiciously before shaking his head. "I'll be right back," he said eventually.

"Yes, of course, but don't overdo it, will you?"

~o~0~o~

After training the pair returned to the prince's chambers, but not before they were accosted by a number of people who wished to discuss the imminent visitors. Uther also left a message for Arthur to attend him as soon as he'd changed and so the two walked a little faster in order to get ready.

"What are your plans now?" Arthur asked his servant.

"I should probably get back to the physician's chambers, in case there's anything for me to do there." He sighed. "I just hope there are no serious medical problems whilst Gaius is away, as I really can't do much more than give out potions and treat a few minor ailments."

"You'll be fine, and I'm sure he won't be away for much longer," Arthur said as the pair entered the prince's chambers.

"Hopefully."

"Anyway, Merlin, before you go. Could you come over here for a moment?"

"What is it?" Merlin asked, automatically moving closer.

"Here..." Arthur held an arm out, as if about to guide his servant towards something but as soon as he had him in his grasp, he changed his grip and suddenly pulled Merlin close against his body.

"What are you...?"

The next thing Merlin was aware of was Arthur's lips against his; warm and moist. He froze for a moment, before relaxing – finding the experience unexpectedly pleasant.

But, this couldn't be right, surely? He must still be in this strange, never ending dream he appeared to have been caught up in for the last few days. Arthur would _never_ kiss him for … all sorts of reasons but... It had to be a dream, right? So, he supposed there was no harm in just letting continue for a little while longer.

Although he really did need to get back to Gaius' chambers and...

~o~0~o~

"...What?"

He blinked once and opened his eyes, only to find himself in a corridor standing in front of Gwen, his hands over hers as he apparently took a pile of laundry from her.

"Thank you, Merlin, that's very kind," his friend said.

He pulled away, blinking furiously, trying to work out what had just happened. Hadn't he been in Arthur's chambers just now? Hadn't he and the prince been...?

He gave a nervous, high-pitched laugh. "Ah, where are you taking this, Gwen?" he managed.

"To the linen store, if you wouldn't mind. Are you alright, Merlin? You haven't been yourself recently."

"Actually, I'm not sure that I am," he replied. "I've been suffering from memory loss or... something. I think I must just be tired."

"Are you sure that's all it is? Are you sure that's nothing else troubling you? I'm free for a short while now if you want to talk."

"Well, I really do need to be getting to the physician's chambers."

Assuming he hadn't already been there. It was getting a bit hard to remember recently.

"That's fine," Gwen replied. "I'll come with you and perhaps I can help with some chores there too."

"Well, if you don't mind?"

"Of course not. You know I've always been happy to help Gaius when I'm able."

~o~0~o~

"Forgetting large parts of your day? That can't be good," Gwen said as the two friends sat down on one of the benches in the physician's chambers.

Merlin shrugged. "I suppose. Part of me has been wondering whether I'm awake or asleep these last few days. I seemed to have missed one day completely and today, well, I just find myself places with no memory of how I got there."

"Well, I hope Gaius is back soon, because that sounds as if it could be serious."

"Even Arthur asked if I wanted some time off," he continued. "But, what with these visitors coming tomorrow..."

"Yes." Gwen bit her lip, suddenly thoughtful. "Are you _sure_ there's nothing upsetting you, Merlin? The only time I've heard of anyone experiencing strange things like that was if they were under an exceptional amount of stress."

"Well...?" Now he came to think about it, there was one way he could talk about Freya without having to explain all the magical or compromising parts of the story. "I did get some bad news from home last week."

"Oh no! Your mother?"

"No, no. She's fine it's just... this friend of mine. A girl I grew up with."

"Oh. Did we meet her when we were in Ealdor?"

"No, she was away then." He paused, thinking carefully before he continued. "I suppose I thought... perhaps I might send for her one day – when we were both ready. You know, perhaps even... marry her?"

"Oh..." Gwen smiled. "_That_ sort of friend."

"Yes, but..." Even the partial truth was beginning to bring all the memories back and he felt tears starting to sting at his eyes.

"What happened?" Gwen asked kindly, leaning forward to put a gentle hand on his arm.

"S-she died... I only recently found out and... I didn't think I should say anything because..."

"Idiot," Gwen said, her tone affectionate, despite the insult. "Why would you not? Even Arthur would have understood something like that, you _know_ he would."

Merlin smiled slightly. "Yes, I should have thought." It really was a very easy excuse to give but then, why would he be thinking straight after everything he'd been through recently?

Gwen moved a little closer to him, wrapping her arms around him and holding him close and Merlin leant his head against hers, his eyes closing, revelling in the gentle intimacy. He had no idea how long the two of them stayed like that but, the next thing he was aware of was the main door opening and Morgana entering.

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh, am I interrupting something?"

"Oh, it's fine." Gwen only pulled away a little, still with an arm around him. "Merlin wasn't feeling well, that's all."

"Just over tired," he said hastily. "I feel much better now. Thanks, Gwen."

"Well, I'm glad I've caught you both here together," Morgana said, moving closer. "Because I was looking for Gwen and was also hoping that you might have my sleeping draught ready for me, Merlin."

"Oh yes, I can do that." He went to stand up but Gwen pulled him down again.

"You should slow down, Merlin," she said. "None of this dashing around."

"As if. I told you, Gwen, I feel much better now."

"Well... you take it easy." She stood up with him, still holding onto his arm and then pulled a little, standing on her tiptoes to plant a gentle kiss on his lips and then...

~o~0~o~

Time had jumped again. In fact, for a moment Merlin thought he must have gone back a few hours because he was involved in another deep kiss just like earlier. However, it didn't take long for him to realise that this one felt different and he blinked as he opened his eyes, trying to focus on the person he was currently pressed up against.

It was Morgana. He was kissing Morgana!

He felt a strange sensation then, a type of buzz, as if someone was whispering nearby. As he started to pull away, he extending his magical senses outwards in an attempt to work out what he was hearing but Morgana was having none of it, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer - kissing him even more passionately - and he quickly succumbed.

_I am so confused._

~o~0~o~


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

_Moving into another being was easy after spending so much time with Him. All life had some energy which was able to sustain her kind, although few were as full of nutrients as He was. So, all she needed to do was have Him move close to another and then transfer over and, whilst there, she would do everything in her power to repay Him for saving her live – grant Him His wish._

_Her influence on those with less power did not need to be so great, however. They would not be able to sense her, nor evict her and, seeing she was unable to gain as much energy from these lesser beings, that was probably just as well. Generally she simply let them continue as usual, whilst she got on with the main purpose of her visit._

_However, she did occasionally feel the need to give them a little push and persuade them to some action or another. Urge them to be a little kinder and more considerate to her saviour, try to make them understand. Help to grant Him his wish and make his friends realise what pain he had had to suffer recently._

_However, the main problem with being inside these lesser beings was that their smaller amount of power made returning rather more difficult. Under normal circumstances she'd be able to survive for a short while in the open but now, with her energy levels exceptionally low, the very best way to get back was to ensure her current host got as close to Him as possible, and it seemed there was one especially effective way of achieving that feat – the act these beings called a 'kiss'._

_So, by using this method, she was easily able to move back from the first two beings she'd borrowed by persuading them to move closer and indulge in this act of intimacy - although the male had needed rather more persuading that the first female had, she noticed._

_And then there was the second female._

_Here was another being packed full of nutrients. Not quite as strong as Him, perhaps, but not far off, and she'd been able to sense that just as soon as the female had walked in through the door._

_With this much power buzzing between the two entities she would easily be able to transfer without the need for close contact, but quickly sensed something of His emotions and realised He was attracted to her. Considering how much the two had in common, how strong they both were, the attraction made perfect sense to her - they would make very compatible mates. So, she decided to grant another of His wishes, push the two of them to kiss, and earn herself a very easy passage back in the process._

_She was amused to note that neither of them had needed much persuading._

_This female felt very different to any of the beings she'd been in so far but, as soon as she arrived, she knew there was going to be a problem. Like her saviour, this one was strong enough to be aware of her presence and, also like Him, was not ideal for her purpose for that very reason. There was another potential problem here too - a strange taste that she couldn't quite explain and which made her a little uncomfortable - and she decided to not commit herself to anything at this point in time and think over what she had sensed._

_At least it wouldn't be difficult to persuade Him to return here if she found she had no other option._

_During this exceptionally long kiss, both beings were nicely distracted whilst she explored this new female but, as the two pulled briefly away, there was a moment of danger where He gained his full consciousness back, and appeared to become aware of her presence, even whilst she was in the female. So, having made the decision not to stay here she quickly took control of this new being and suggested she might like another kiss from Him._

_Seeing this female felt just as much attraction toward her saviour as He did to her, it again took very little persuasion and this second, even longer kiss gave her another easy transfer and a welcome extra burst of energy during this most challenging time._

_But, this was not the end of her own task. She needed more, and urgently. Who else could she persuade Him to interact with?_

~o~0~o~

He and Morgana were still kissing and Merlin had to admit that he was exceptionally reluctant to stop it, despite the obvious confusion he was now feeling. Perhaps one reason was, as with the briefer kiss he'd experienced with Arthur earlier, part of him still believed it was all a dream and he was therefore quite happy to indulge in the fantasy for a little while longer before he inevitably woke up.

And this most certainly was a dream come true. Her lips against his, her arms around his neck, her magic merging with his as the kiss deepened, threatening to explode out of them at any moment.

And he should stop, really he should but, despite everything, Merlin felt an amazing sense of freedom and realised it felt so right being here with Morgana, and that, as far as his magic was concerned, the two of them were of equal rank. If it wasn't for all of these annoying class rules, then this relationship could be allowed – perhaps even _should_ be allowed – if magic was ever to be returned to this land.

And then Merlin felt and heard that strange buzz, time suddenly jumped and he found himself back in his chambers, facing Ouzel in the cage on his desk.

"Something is very wrong," he gasped, putting both hands on his desk and breathing heavily, licking his lips and trying to remember what had just happened. "It must be a spell, something magical I need to counter but... I'm so very tired... I just can't concentrate." He moved slowly towards the bed, sitting down on it heavily.

"Tomorrow," he mumbled as he lay his head down on his pillow. "I'll fix it all tomorrow."

~o~0~o~

"Wakey, wakey, rise and shine!" Merlin chirruped, the following day, throwing open the curtains enthusiastically.

"Go away," Arthur mumbled.

"Now then, don't be like that. It's an important day today, remember? You've got visitors."

Arthur groaned and buried his head even further under the covers. "Don't remind me."

"Up you get, Arthur. Your father wants you and Morgana to breakfast with him this morning and so we'd better get you up and dressed quickly. I wasn't sure about the clothes though. Are these alright?"

"Since when do you normally care about my opinion on that?" he mumbled.

"Since you threw a jug at me last week for putting out your red jacket instead of your brown one." Merlin pulled back the covers roughly. "Up!"

"Alright, alright," Arthur grumbled as he staggered out and looked at the selection of clothes his servant had chosen. "They'll do, I suppose," he admitted.

"Is that your way of saying I made a good choice?" Merlin asked, with a frown. "It's often so hard to tell with you."

"Just shut up and help me dress."

"Yes, Sire."

Arthur looked over at his servant and remembered something, feeling suddenly awkward. "Oh and Merlin, about yesterday. It seems that perhaps I... ah, we-"

"-Didn't happen, Sire," Merlin interrupted with a smile. "I quite understand."

"Good. We need never mention it again, then."

"Absolutely not. This belt?"

So, it seemed Merlin was perfectly fine with what had happened – which was a relief. In fact, Arthur had initially thought it had been some odd dream, especially as he recalled that the decision to kiss his manservant had seemed like the most obvious and logical thing to do at the time. He shook his head, attempting to dismiss the odd memory and focus on the day ahead.

Arthur met Morgana in the corridor and walked down to the council chambers with her - Merlin and Guinevere trailing behind them. He was aware of quiet conversation from the pair but didn't pay it much attention; instead finding himself slightly distracted as he thought about how and why he'd managed to become quite so attached to two servants who should be beneath his attention, but who now seemed as important to him as Morgana was.

She, of course, was openly attached to Guinevere but such friendships were not uncommon between ladies. Between men though? Most definitely not. He shook his head again, trying to dismiss the memory of that kiss.

"What's the matter, Arthur? Trying to dislodge all the fluff in your head," Morgana teased.

"It's been an odd couple of days," he replied and heard Merlin quietly scoff behind him.

"Yes." Strangely Morgana's reply seemed serious and thoughtful – her teasing tone now gone. Arthur was going to comment further but they'd reached their destination and now quickly fell quiet, acutely aware of Uther's scrutiny as they entered the council chambers.

"Good, you're all ready for our guests, I see," the king said. "Here, it's a light meal today as we'll be feasting heavily later. Reports say the party is no more than an hour away so, let's not delay."

"Of course, Father," Arthur replied, sitting down. Behind them, Merlin and Guinevere moved to the serving tables, quickly returning with jugs and plates.

~o~0~o~

"Lord Alis, Lady Charlotte, may I introduce my son and heir, Prince Arthur," Uther said, as they met their guests on the grand steps leading to the palace. The brother and sister were fairly young, only a little older than he was and Arthur returned the polite comments in his usual fashion. "And my ward, the lady Morgana," Uther continued, now at his most charming.

Arthur guessed that Alis was probably the eldest of the pair and likely not the most sporty of men if his rather generous proportions were any indication. The lady was slim and fairly pretty with bright red hair and freckles, and the prince was acutely aware of her scrutiny as she smiled at him, obviously seeking his favour.

The guests were then ushered into the Great Hall, where a small welcome and refreshments had been arranged, before being escorted to their chambers in order to rest. Throughout these extensive introductions, Arthur exchanged a number of nervous glances with Morgana - the pair hoping that all their careful preparations would go without a hitch. To the prince's relief Merlin was remarkably efficient, staying close without crowding and with none of his usual cheek, clumsiness or other recent, strange behaviour showing.

With Guinevere heading to the kitchen to check on a specific food request from Alis, it fell to Merlin to accompany Arthur as he showed the guests to their chambers. The visitors had come with their own servants, and so Merlin was introduced to them so they knew who to go to with any questions or requests. Shortly after this, Arthur realised he'd managed to become separated from both Morgana and Merlin, which he certainly wasn't going to complain about, and so he took the opportunity to return to his chambers to rest in order to prepare himself for the inevitable socialising that would be taking place later that afternoon.

Hopefully everything would continue to go so smoothly.

~o~0~o~


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

_Time was no longer on her side. She needed to find two more quickly or else she would be in serious trouble. Bad enough she'd been injured and left behind by the others but now? _

_Now it was a matter of life and death. _

_Her saviour had been interacting with many more people recently, including a couple of new guests and she was pleased to sense a great deal of nutrients in the new female. Too much again? It wasn't easy to tell from the outside, but she'd learnt enough about the way these beings worked by now to know that kissing in such circumstances would not be considered acceptable. _

_However, the very fact this new entity was so strong should mean only a touch would be required in order to transfer there and back again – assuming she wasn't too weak by now. Luckily, reaching her destination was easy but she was shocked when she arrived and discovered that this new female was even less compatible than the other powerful entity she'd visited yesterday - the taste of the food making her feel even more unwell. _

_But, there was a far bigger problem. Now she was here she could sense a great deal of danger . Danger to her kind and to his. _

_She quickly moved back to her saviour, pleased to be away from the bad taste. She would definitely _not_ find what she was looking for here._

~o~0~o~

_Finally things were starting to come together. Here was yet another female with the perfect balance of nutrients versus temperament - plenty of energy but easy to control - and another one He was attracted to. _

_And she felt as if she was finally beginning to master these strange beings and understanding the way they interacted, and now she realised there was only one logical course of action - even if it did go against her kind's rules. So, she decided to take full advantage of the situation, ate as much food as she was able and took full control of this female so she could talk to Him and tell Him the truth._

_Well, _some_ of the truth. _

_Because she knew Him well enough by now to understand that she would be more likely to gain His trust if she withheld some information at this time and so she only shared the basic details with him – only what he _really_ needed to know at this juncture._

_And it seemed that communicating with Him had been the right thing to do because, now they had a deal and perhaps, together, they could defeat the mutual threat to those they both held most dear._

~o~0~o~

It was another day full of time jumps and strange experiences for Merlin and he wondered when he was ever going to get the chance to work out what was going on in order to be able to solve it. He remembered very little about the day the visitors arrived – just odd snatches of time standing next to Arthur and Morgana during the morning as they made preparations and then, with another lurch, he found himself standing in front of a beautiful, but unfamiliar, red-haired lady in one of the guest chambers.

"Ah...?" Merlin paused as he searched his fragmented memory in order to make some sense of what was going on. "Will that be all, Lady Charlotte?" he asked, hoping he'd guessed the situation correctly.

"Yes, thank you, Merlin." The lady frowned then, shaking her head slightly. "Can you hear a buzz?"

"A buzz?" He remembered hearing something like that when he was with Morgana before, although he certainly couldn't hear the sound now. He looked around the room, checking if anyone else was with them, before carefully pushing out with his magic, seeing if he could sense anything amiss. "I'm sorry, no, my lady," he admitted eventually. "If that will be all I shall leave you to rest. I'm sure you must be tired after your journey."

"Yes, of course. Thank you, Merlin." She moved forwards, coming surprisingly close, and placed a gentle hand on his arm.

~o~0~o~

With another strange lurch, Merlin found himself in the buttery next to the kitchens with Anna in his arms, and his lips tingling, indicating that he'd just given her a kiss. He sat down on a barrel with a large groan as he tried to decide what to do next.

"Merlin..." Anna's voice seemed firmer than usual as she sat down next to him and put her arm around his shoulder. "I'm sorry about all of this – this loss of memory. I'm afraid it's my fault, but I promise I have only been trying to help."

"Your fault? What do you mean, Anna?"

She shook her head. "I'm not Anna, well, not at the moment. I've just taken her over for a little while in order to talk to you."

Merlin was back on his feet, suddenly angry. "Who are you?" he demanded. "_What_ are you? You leave her alone."

"I'm not harming her, I promise," she replied calmly.

"Who are you?" he asked again.

She frowned at the question. "You called me Ouzel," she said eventually.

"The blackbird?"

"Oh..." She paused, considering this. "I suppose I was... I am... sometimes. Although my kind do not use names in the way you understand."

"_Your_ kind?" Merlin asked.

"We have lived here for a long time, trying not to come to anyone's attention – just surviving the best we can."

A memory suddenly came to mind. "You're that light I saw hovering next to the blackbird on the first morning?"

"I suppose I am – although few of your kind would have the ability to see me in that way."

"I can only see and sense you because I have magic?" Merlin asked.

"Yes, and I can only communicate with you through this one because _she_ does."

He nodded thoughtfully. "I did wonder."

"And you two are not the only ones here who have such power."

"I know but..." He dropped his voice to a whisper. "It's banned here. No-one must know."

"Yes, it is the reason that we all decided to leave this place, because there was not enough food for all of us to survive."

"Food?"

"What you call magic is what my kind live on. It is what we eat and what we breathe. I was leaving here in that... blackbird... when he got hit and soon we were both close to dying. Then you came along, fed me with your powerful magic and saved us."

"Rrright..." Merlin nodded, still not fully sure if he could trust this strange entity that had taken over Anna's body, but willing to hear it out, if for no other reason that to try to understand what had been happening to him these last few days. "But why have I been loosing my memory?"

"I wanted to thank you. I saw how upset and lonely you were and wanted to grant you your wish."

"My wish?"

"You said, 'I just wish they would understand exactly how I feel. If they knew, if they felt it too, then perhaps I might be appreciated more'."

"What? That's what you do? Grant wishes?"

She laughed, a much more open and bright sound than the small giggle that Anna usually gave. "No, not generally. It was just that I was here, all on my own too and you had saved me and so I wanted to help."

"And how exactly were you helping?" Merlin complained. "All I know is that I've got huge gaps in my memory and apparently keep kissing all my friends."

She frowned. "You definitely wanted to kiss Morgana and Anna."

"That's not the point and... now we're on the subject, why on earth did you make me kiss Arthur?"

"I didn't make you kiss him," she replied calmly. "I simply suggested to _him_ that he might like to kiss you."

"What?"

"Neither of you seemed to object at the time."

"T-that's really not the point," he mumbled.

She smiled again. "I wanted to grant you your wish, Merlin. I wanted you to be happier and I wanted your friends to understand how they were making you feel. I wanted them to treat you better because, you were right, it isn't fair what you've been through recently."

"Look, Anna... ah… Ouzel, I understand you didn't mean any harm and that's fine but, can this end now? I mean, can you just stay in the blackbird until his wing has healed and then go back to your people?"

"It's not as simple as that, I'm afraid. There's danger here, Merlin, which is the main reason I decided to take over Anna like this. I knew I urgently needed to talk to you and warn you."

"Go on."

"The new female, the one you call 'Lady Charlotte', she has a lot of energy... ah, magic."

"Really?"

"Yes, almost as much as Morgana and, like her, it doesn't taste quite right -it's a bit... bitter."

"Taste? Oh, you mean the magic?" He paused as he mentally replayed what she had said. "What do you mean when you say that about Morgana?"

"I'm not sure how to translate it into your words, but there's something about their magic which feels different to yours and Anna's. Morgana's isn't too bad, it's just a strange tang but Charlotte's?" She shook her head and pulled a face. "I _really_ didn't want to stay inside her for too long. It didn't taste very nice at all."

"Well, thanks for the warning, Ouzel but, if you keep taking me over and stopping me from remembering things, then I won't be able to help."

"Yes, I'm sorry about that. I only did it because your magic is so strong and I knew you'd sense me if I didn't take you over completely. However, if you'll let me travel with you from time to time, I promise I will let you keep control."

"Why? Why don't I simply take you back to the bird?"

"Please, Merlin. I really can't be stuck over in that part of the castle when there's this very real danger to deal with, but I am very nearly recovered and then I won't need you at all. Just a little bit longer and then I'll be able to gain enough nutrients by simply using the random magic that's around this castle."

Merlin looked at her suspiciously. "I thought you said your kind had to leave because there wasn't any."

"There wasn't enough for so many of us but, for just me..." She shrugged. "It'll be good enough."

"Don't you want to rejoin them?" he asked.

She dropped her head, tears forming. "That might not be possible. Not for some time."

"Why not?"

"It's hard to explain. I really _am_ sorry for any problems I've caused you but I promise I never meant you any harm – quite the opposite. But, will you let me work with you here? I've found out a little of Charlotte's plans but nothing very much. If you let me travel with you I can find out more."

"By going back inside her?"

She pulled another face. "Yes, once I'm inside someone I can read most of their thoughts and feelings." She smiled. "Anna really likes you, by the way. She's pushing me quite hard to get another kiss from you, in fact, and some of her other thoughts about you are quite..." She blinked rapidly. "... interesting, I suppose."

Merlin felt his cheeks burn. "Never mind that. Tell me what you know about Charlotte."

"Alis is here to discuss a marriage alliance between Arthur and Charlotte."

"What? Not again. Why didn't I know that?"

"My fault again, sorry. Morgana was teasing Arthur about it earlier when I was with you."

Merlin groaned. "How much else have I missed?"

"As I said, I didn't stay around for long that first time, but I do know that she's looking for something and _really_ wants the king dead. I'm not sure if she simply wants to be Arthur's queen then or if there's some other plot going on. Either way, I don't think she should be allowed to marry him."

"Definitely not," Merlin agreed.

"Especially because he's in love with Gwen."

"What?" Merlin said, shocked. "How do you know that?"

She shrugged. "I know because _you_ know but also because I've been inside both Arthur and Gwen so I know how they feel about each other."

"And how they all feel about me?" he couldn't resist asking.

She smiled. "Of course."

"And...?"

"I wouldn't want you to get big headed."

"Really? What do they think about me?"

"Perhaps later. Do we have a deal?"

"A deal?"

"You kiss Anna, I'll come back into you but will allow you to keep full control. You'll know I'm here and it may feel a bit strange, but your side of the bargain is that you don't try to evict me and will allow me to hop in and out of others if it'll be of use."

"You promise you won't harm any of them and you'll not mention magic to anyone – not even raise the subject generally?"

"You have my word they will not be harmed. The main reason I'm speaking to you is to let you know about Charlotte and I only did that because I didn't want to see them or you hurt. Whatever her plan is I would still be able to survive, but I wanted to let you know. I wanted to help."

Merlin paused for a moment before finally nodding. "Then, you have a deal, Ouzel," he told her, standing and holding his hands out to Anna, before pulling her close and giving her a gentle kiss.

~o~0~o~


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

_She had felt guilty about not being totally honest with Him but, the truth was, she was afraid and had worried He may feel obligated to intervene if she had confessed everything, despite His kind nature. And yet, even knowing He was on her side, she was still not entirely safe and her plan very likely to fail._

_More than that, her life was still in danger. She urgently needed to find one more. But who? She couldn't use her saviour, of course, not with so much power, and she couldn't use the same host twice – that would never work. _

_But things were becoming critical and He wasn't interacting with anyone new. He was always in a hurry, always rushing back and forth, and now He wanted to go back to his chambers which would mean her certain death. She needed someone - anyone._

_And luckily, on His way back home, Merlin ran into someone familiar._

Her _again. This one was not ideal, of course, but at least she didn't taste quite as bad as the other one. Oh, there were likely to be _so_ many problems in using such a powerful being for this purpose, but there really weren't any other choices open to her now. _

_Her time had run out._

_And so, despite her promise not to interfere, Ouzel pushed hard at Merlin's mind and persuaded him to move closer, persuaded him to kiss Morgana again, despite his reluctance and then, thankfully she was able to transfer._

_And not a moment too soon._

~o~0~o~

It was a very odd feeling. Merlin could sense Ouzel all the time, even though she had allowed him full control, and he now understood what she had meant. It would have been perfectly obvious that he'd had company before and, without understanding exactly who or what she was, he would have almost certainly cast a spell in order to remove her.

"Merlin?" Anna asked, now blinking furiously and frowning hard as she stood in front of him.

He was suddenly brought back to the reality of the situation and moved to hold the kitchen girl's hands, looking at her closely. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yes, there was … someone else here," she replied.

"Do you know who?" he asked. "What can you remember?"

"She was... in here..." Anna tapped her head before looking back up at Merlin. "I remember quite a bit of it but, it's blurry - like a dream. It's hard to know what is and isn't real."

He laughed. "Tell me about it. Do you think we can trust her?"

Anna paused for a moment before nodding. "Yes. I know it is… a sort of magic but, then again, it isn't really. I..." She bit her lip. "I don't think we're breaking any laws by not reporting it and... all she's trying to do is get better and protect the others."

"Yes, I'd reached that conclusion too. Especially when she warned me of a threat."

"Merlin about… the reason she is able to use us," Anna said, biting her lip. "I didn't want to say anything before, I still don't really. I mean here, in Camelot...?"

"I know, I understand and, you're right. Best we not talk about _that_ at all."

She nodded. "Do we dare go against Lady Charlotte though? Ouzel thinks she's very powerful."

Merlin smiled, unconcerned. "She also said she would help us so, I think we're fine." There really was no need to explain his own level of power to Anna at this point in time.

"So, I suppose now isn't the ideal time to discuss that picnic?" she asked with a smile, her cheeks pink again.

"Probably best to wait until the guests have left, yes," he agreed, but happily gave her another gentle kiss on the lips before leaving.

~o~0~o~

"_It really does feel most odd having you in here," _Merlin commented as he made his way down the corridor.

"_I admit that it's nice to watch you interact with your friends properly now," _Ouzel replied. _"It was hard for me to know how you would react in certain situations."_

"_Yeah, I don't generally go around kissing my master, for a start."_

"_That is not allowed? " _she asked curiously._ "It is bad manners?"_

"_It is... unconventional," he replied._

"_Ah."_

Merlin felt a strange judder then, as if Ouzel had reacted to something. It was hard for him to fully understand the sensation as she'd kept him under on the other visits, but he was fairly certain something felt off.

"_Are you alright?" _he asked.

"_Yes... fine. W-what are you to do next?"_

"_I suppose I'd better get back home."_

He sensed panic. _"Home? Shouldn't you perhaps go and check on Charlotte or Arthur or... go somewhere busier?"_

He felt another shudder. _"Ouzel? What's wrong?" _

"Hello, Merlin."

He turned around abruptly, surprised to suddenly hear a voice in the conventional way. "Oh, hello, Morgana. How are you?"

"Fine..." She looked around to see if they were alone and, not entirely convinced, pulled him into a nearby alcove.

"What...?"

"About all of... this," she whispered.

"This?"

"The poetry and the kisses and..."

He winced. "Oh, right... sorry."

"Well, I'm not really complaining. I mean the poetry was nice and the kisses were..." She smiled. "..._really_ good actually but, you know... our status and if Uther found out and..."

"Yes," he agreed. As far as he remembered those kisses had felt wonderful to him too but, it was out of the question, he really ought to just forget about it but yet... here she was looking so beautiful and those lips were so tempting and…

"_Ouzel, I thought you said you weren't going to..."_

The next thing he knew Morgana was in his arms and they were kissing passionately again. It really was amazing, and she was so perfect for him - despite their apparently different statuses, but, he was with Anna now and...

Morgana pulled away from him, blinking her cheeks still pink her eyes now wide. "I thought I just said that was _not_ a good idea," she said, accusingly.

"Yes, sorry. Don't know what happened there," he lied, gritting his teeth.

"I understand," she said with a smile. "And I really am very flattered but, as I said, we have to stop doing this. I would hate for anything to happen to you if Uther or Arthur discovered how you felt about me."

"Yes, you're quite right, of course. I don't know what I was thinking. Sorry."

"Oh, don't worry," Morgana said with a laugh. "I'm fairly certain I'll be having nice dreams tonight for a change," and she winked at him as she left, heels clicking on the stone floor.

"_We had a deal, Ouzel," _Merlin complained once Morgana had left. _"You said you'd let me keep full control."_

"_But, you really wanted to kiss her again and she really likes you."_

"_But kissing her is bad manners in the same way as kissing Arthur is."_

There was a pause whilst Ouzel contemplated this. _"I thought you just meant that it wasn't ideal for two males to get that close."_

"_There are many who do believe that, it's true but, in this case, it's more about their status. They're royalty, I'm just a commoner."_

"_There's nothing common about you, Merlin," _she disagreed. _"I would class you as magical royalty – considering how much power you have."_

"_Yes, but they can't know that, can they?" _he continued. _"It's safer for me and my friends if everyone continues to think of me as a nobody. It's best if I try to keep a low profile and, Morgana is right, if the King finds out I've been kissing his ward then I'm either sentenced or banished. Neither of which will help me to protect Arthur."_

"_I just think it's a shame you can't be happy, Merlin. I think you should be able to kiss whomever you like."_

"_Well, at least I have Anna." _He groaned as he suddenly thought of something. _"Unless she hears I've been kissing Morgana, of course, then she might not want to be with me either."_

"_I really am sorry if I'm misunderstanding and made things difficult for you," _Ouzel said._ "I promise that I really am only trying to help here."_

Merlin sighed. _"I know, but please remember we had a deal. No more taking control of me from now on." _

He realised that something about Ouzel felt different again. Before he was sure he'd sensed something was wrong with her, but now she seemed fine - much calmer. He tried to recall the sensations he'd felt before and the things she'd said, but he'd honestly not had enough experience of her being around to be able to tell the difference. He just had this strange feeling she hadn't been telling him the truth, even though he genuinely believed she meant him no harm.

Merlin was still deep in thought as he reached the front door to the physician's chambers pushing it open with a deep sigh. Then he saw who was waiting inside and grinned broadly.

"Gaius! You're back!"

~o~0~o~


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

_She had got away with the deception, it seemed. Initially He'd been cross with her for taking control when she'd promised not to, but He was also a very kind and forgiving human and had happily accepted her excuse – her apparent lack of understanding of their hierarchy and etiquette. And so, for now at least, she was out of danger and, despite the problems she was likely to encounter later, she was definitely in a far better situation than she could have dared hoped a few days previously. _

_However, the really annoying thing was that, if Merlin had just gone straight home as he'd first suggested, she would have discovered the perfect fifth candidate there, ready and waiting. An old being, perhaps, but one with some modest level of power – making him a far more suitable than Morgana. It was too late now though, she would just have to keep a close eye on all of them and hope for the best._

_Now she needed to worry about Charlotte and discover the exact nature of the lady's plan? When she'd been there last she hadn't been feeling at her best and had needed to leave quickly with little chance to discover the full truth. All she knew for certain was that there was a nasty taste in there accompanied by a large amount of deceit. Charlotte was definitely up to no good and meant to do harm but, who did she want to hurt and how could she be stopped? _

_Even putting her own personal issues to one side, there was no way Ouzel wanted Merlin harmed, and if his friends were hurt then he'd be upset and all the good work she had done to help him recently would have been for nothing._

_When had it all become so complicated? All she had wanted to do was make the best of a bad situation and build a life here with a new family. Now she was going to have keep jumping between hosts, which would take an awful lot of strength and be potentially dangerous too. If at any time she was discovered and forced out then she may not survive - and that would be bad news for everyone._

~o~0~o~

"Are you alright?" Merlin asked his mentor as the old man sat down heavily on a chair.

"I'm fine, Merlin, just a little tired. We seem to have the illness contained now and those in the early stages are already responding to the treatment I devised."

"That's good," the young man said, moving closer to hand him a drink.

"Yes, and I'm very glad to be home." He looked up at his ward and raised an eyebrow. "And you've been kept busy, I hear?"

"Yes, I..." There really was no need to comment on his memory problems now he'd solved them. "And, I'm sorry about the other day. I'm feeling much better now."

"Well, I can tell that," Gaius said with a sudden smile. "I'm not sure what has happened since I left, but I haven't seen you look this healthy and relaxed in a long time."

"Oh... well..."

"_You see. I told you I could help," _Ouzel said.

"And another marriage prospect for Arthur," Gaius continued with a grin. "He certainly has no shortage of offers recently."

Merlin shook his head. "I don't think we can trust the lady Charlotte, Gaius."

"Why on earth would you say that?"

"I think she has magic and I think... she's here to cause trouble."

"What? How do you know this? What's happened?"

He winced. "Well nothing has really happened yet and I don't exactly have any proof it's just a... feeling, you know?"

"Only too well," Gaius said with a sigh. "Well, don't do anything rash, Merlin. You know what you can be like sometimes."

~o~0~o~

The following morning, Merlin and Gaius' breakfast was yet again interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Lady Morgana," the physician said, pushing himself up to stand.

"I'm glad you're back, Gaius" she said with a weak smile. "Hello, Merlin." The last was said in an uncharacteristically shy tone, her head slightly ducked. He hoped Gaius wouldn't notice.

"What can I do for you?" the physician asked. "Do you need a stronger sleeping potion?"

"No thank you. Actually, I slept really well for once." Merlin was the one to turn away then, remembering what she'd said to him the previous evening in her chambers. "No it's just... this buzzing."

"Buzzing?"

Merlin turned back abruptly and felt a sudden rush of panic from Ouzel. _"Charlotte said she heard a buzzing too," _he recalled. _"And I also remember it briefly – in those times before you took me over fully."_

Ouzel's thought seemed frantic. _"Not now! Please not now. It's _far_ too early."_

"_Why can she hear the buzzing if you're in here with me?" _Merlin continued. _"I mean, I can 'hear' it too but, now I know you're here, I wouldn't really describe it like that, it's more..."_

"Well, perhaps buzzing is the wrong word," Morgana said, echoing Merlin's thoughts. "But it feels at times as if there's someone whispering just to one side - as if someone's watching me or talking just on the edge of my hearing - but, whenever I turn around, there's no-one there."

"_Yes, it that describes it well," _Merlin said to Ouzel but she didn't reply, still silently fretting.

"Let me examine you, my lady," Gaius said. "I shall check your ears. No doubt there is some build up of wax in there and I can simply give you some oil to clear it."

"Very well," Morgana agreed, settling herself down on a bench.

"Merlin, don't you have somewhere else to be?" his mentor asked him.

"No, not really, Arthur doesn't..." He saw Gaius' eyebrow raise threateningly and quickly got the hint. "However, now I come to think of it, he did say something about his armour..." And he hurried out of the door.

~o~0~o~

"_What's going on, Ouzel? Why can Morgana still hear you if you're in here with me?"_

"_I'm not sure. She shouldn't really," _the being answered, now sounding surprisingly calm, with no sign of the earlier panic he'd sensed in her. _"Perhaps it's something to do with her strong magic. It might be worth seeing if any of your other friends are experiencing problems."_

"_Are you _sure_ you don't have an explanation, because I know you were just as worried as I was back there."_

"_I was just surprised, that's all. It doesn't make much sense, as you said. Perhaps it's not the same thing?"_

"_Perhaps."_

~o~0~o~

The first part of Merlin's day passed without incident and neither Arthur nor Gwen complained about their health when asked. He was about to go down to see Anna when Ouzel suggested he checked on Morgana instead and so, despite his concern about being seen hanging around the lady's quarters at that time of day, Merlin headed over to that part of the castle and cautiously knocked on her door.

"Merlin? Ah..." She seemed a little flustered. "Was it important? Only, I have a visitor here at this time."

He craned his neck to see the lady Charlotte sitting on a chair and immediately felt apprehensive about the fact. "J-just enquiring after your health, my lady," he said.

"Aw, isn't that sweet," Charlotte replied with a cheeky smile. "Never fear, Merlin, Morgana is in good hands. I have a little healing knowledge myself and, when she explained her recent malady, I was only happy to look into it and see if I could help."

"So, if you don't mind," Morgana said with a slightly forced smile. "We would rather not be disturbed at this time."

"_No, no... you can't let her!" _Ouzel insisted.

"_What? What is it?"_

"_Please, Merlin. I don't trust her. She may realise what's happening I can't take that chance."_

"_But, surely..."_

"_Please?"_

"Oh, what type of healing?" Merlin asked with a smile moving far enough into the room to note a table covered with items which would seem innocent enough to a casual observer - but he knew were anything but. _"Those crystals and herbs can be used for magic," _he said to Ouzel. _ "For checking for spirits and presences." _

"_Yes and, we cannot take the chance."_

"_I don't see what harm it will do other than-"_

"_But, what about... Morgana's magic?" _Ouzel pushed. _"Charlotte might sense it and then tell Uther. We don't yet know what her true purpose is here, after all."_

"Really, Merlin, it's fine," Morgana insisted. "I'll call to see Gaius later if I'm still no better."

"_Touch her," _Ouzel insisted. _"Let me transfer and then I can find out more about what Charlotte is up to."_

It didn't look as if he had much choice.

"What is this _really_ about, Merlin?" Morgana hissed as she started to manoeuvre him out of the room. "I thought we'd agreed that you would stop flirting with me."

He deliberately held himself against the door frame, which meant that Morgana met unexpected resistance as she guided him out and ended up very much closer than was polite. Luckily all of this was happening just out of Charlotte's eye line.

"_I am really going to regret this," _he complained to Ouzel. "I'm sorry, Morgana, I just..." Merlin moved much closer, placing a hand on her wrist and leaning closer to her ear. "I missed you."

And then Ouzel's presence was gone from his mind and Morgana's slightly concerned look changed, as she first winced - as if hearing a loud sound - and then relaxed, smiling gently.

"Go," she whispered to him. "It's Ouzel, and I have it all under control now."

Merlin nodded and left, making his way back to Gaius' chambers and feeling especially frustrated that he would no longer know what was happening in there.

~o~0~o~

* * *

_**A/N: **There is a clue to Ouzel's secret in this chapter but, typically, I may have been a little too subtle._


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

_Things here were warm and bright, and he felt safe, well fed and very strong. _

"_Hush," his mother cautioned him when she visited that day. "Stay calm and keep quiet. Do not make your presence known." _

_But, where was the fun in that? _

_He meekly promised to do as she bid and it was easy to keep his word at first, especially as he knew she was close by and would easily be able to check up on him. So he tried hard to mind his manners, to pull himself in deep and not to draw attention to himself – to be quiet and still - but the food, the strength and the wonderful taste were all so tempting. There was the tang of something exotic and spicy. Something which needed to be savoured, enjoyed and soaked up._

"_I like it here," he whispered. "I'm not sure I ever want to leave. Not with this wonderful world at my disposal."_

"_Who is that?" the world asked him._

"_Your friend, your servant, your protector," he whispered back. "Rest now, beautiful world and tomorrow I shall feast some more and teach you new games and we will learn each other's deepest, darkest secrets."_

~o~0~o~

Morgana couldn't remember the last time she'd slept so well. Her dreams were strange, but peaceful – nothing like the nightmares she had been having recently. She dreamt of kissing Merlin, of long horse rides in flower filled meadows, of floating happily in a warm blanket of air and light which surrounded, enveloped and protected her.

And there was a constant, quiet voice to comfort her - talking gently, laughing brightly and promising her his eternal devotion and obedience. They talked at length about numerous, exciting things, none of which she could recall when she awoke, and the things she _did_ remember made no sense to her.

She work up slowly, feeling content and savouring the rare peace.

"You slept late, my lady," Gwen said.

"I slept _well_," Morgana replied. "Two nights in a row now."

"Well, that's good," Gwen replied as she handed Morgana her dressing gown. "Gaius' latest potion must be working."

She laughed. "It's about time his cures did something."

Morgana felt a little distracted that morning though; disorientated and even a little jumpy. She would often turn around, convinced that someone was whispering just to one side – words which sounded familiar but were just a little too quiet to understand. At other times the sound was more annoying – a constant buzz which had her shaking her head, convinced something was wrong with her hearing.

After breakfast she made her way down to see Gaius and felt strangely shy on seeing Merlin, suddenly recalling a particularly detailed and erotic dream from the previous night. But, what she had told the serving boy yesterday was true – nothing could happen between them – no matter how much she might want it to.

The physician examined her and could find little to explain her dizziness, suggesting that it may be some issue with her ears and giving her drops to see if they would alleviate the problem. Within moments of returning to her chambers, however, Morgana received a visitor, answering the knock at her door to find the lady Charlotte standing outside.

"Is this a bad time?" the redhead asked.

"No, not at all," Morgana replied with an open smile. "Please come in."

"Only we've had so little chance to talk," Charlotte continued as she entered. "Which is daft really, seeing we are soon to be sisters."

Morgana smiled. "Yes, of course. Have you had much chance to spend with Arthur? What is your opinion of him so far?"

"I've not had as much time as I would have liked. Although I understand we are all to go hunting tomorrow, so hopefully I shall have more time to socialise with him then."

"I do enjoy riding," Morgana agreed, shaking her head slightly on hearing the buzz again.

"Well, you must come along, of course."

"I wouldn't wish to intrude."

"Not at all," Charlotte replied. "There's a whole party going out there, after all, and I would honestly be glad of the female company."

"Well, if you're sure?"

"Of course and, to answer your earlier question, I admit to being pleasantly surprised in regard to Arthur. Knowing what a strong and ruthless king, Uther is, I was expecting much the same personality in his son."

Morgana contemplated this, used as she was to constantly teasing and putting the young man down. "He _strives_ to be like his father," she decided eventually. "But, at the moment, he is not. I have no memory of his mother, but I suspect he takes more after her."

Charlotte nodded thoughtfully as she sat down on the chair Morgana had offered her. "I admit to being surprised that Uther did not arrange a match between the two of you," she said.

Morgana turned her head again, sure someone has whispered just behind her. "It was what I expected, certainly - what most of the court expected, to be honest. But, for some reason, Uther has never suggested it."

"And, that will not cause a problem between us?"

"What?" Morgana was confused before she realised what Charlotte was implying. "Oh no..." she continued, laughing at the suggestion that she might be jealous. "I find myself relieved, to be honest. Arthur is good enough young man, an ideal prince of Camelot but, having grown up with him here for so many years, he does feel rather too much like a brother."

"Ah, that makes sense, of course." Charlotte looked at her more closely. "Are you quite well, Morgana?"

"Oh, I'm fine," she replied dismissively. "Just a little dizzy. A slight problem with my ears the physician believes."

"Ears?" Charlotte frowned then, contemplating. "You're not hearing a strange buzzing sound, are you?"

Morgana looked up at her, surprised. "Yes. How did you know?"

"I briefly experienced the same thing on the first day I arrived here, and it seemed so loud that I was convinced it was outside of my head, but that nice young serving boy said he couldn't hear a thing."

Morgana smiled. "Merlin?"

"Yes." Charlotte raised an eyebrow at her and both smiled slightly, obviously in agreement about the strange attraction the young man exuded. "You know, Morgana, I have some knowledge of the healing arts myself," the lady continued. "Perhaps I could give my own opinion of such things. My methods are a little … unconventional, perhaps, but, I'm promise you that they do work."

"I'm certainly willing to try anything at this point," Morgana agreed.

"I just need to go and collect a few things," Charlotte continued. "But I shall be back in a little while."

~o~0~o~

The two were now seated at the table but, as Charlotte started to place various small bags of herbs and strange crystals before her, Morgana quickly became suspicious.

"Exactly what sort of healing do you practise?" she asked.

Charlotte smiled. "An ancient type, handed down to me through the female line."

"Your mother?"

"She is no longer with us, unfortunately, as I lost her when I was very young, but my elder sister taught me what I was not able to remember for myself."

"I lost my mother too," Morgana said. "Although I was little more than a baby at the time."

"Mine died when I was seven," Charlotte said, her voice now more steely. "But she had already begun to teach me and left all her books of course."

"How do you think you can help me?" Morgana asked.

"I will test for presences."

"Spirits?"

"_Any_ type of presences," she confirmed.

"I hope this has nothing to do with... magic," Morgana said. "Because I'm sure you're aware of the King's opinion on that."

Charlotte scoffed. "Only too well."

A knock on the door interrupted any further conversation and Morgana opened it to Merlin, who initially appeared to be asking after her health – although she suspected he had other motives. She did hope he wasn't going to be awkward about their encounters and her recent orders to end it.

And he was being especially stubborn about leaving – refusing to take her hints – which meant Morgana had to be rather more forceful, attempting to push him out the door, and it was at that point she experienced a far stronger surge of dizziness than she'd ever felt before. It seemed to her that she had only blinked twice before she found herself sitting down at the table again, with no memory of how she'd returned here. She looked down to find both her hands in Charlotte's before raising her gaze to see the lady looking at her with concern.

"W-what happened?" Morgana asked, glancing back over at the door and again wondering how she'd got from there to here so quickly, and where Merlin had disappeared to.

"You spoke to Merlin and sent him away but, when you came back in you seemed very dizzy and so I sat down with you and started to check your aura."

"Aura?" she asked, whilst trying hard to remember what had happened whilst she was at the door.

"I admit that I'm rather worried about these dizzy spells of yours," Charlotte continued. "So I think I should investigate further and find out what is happening. I know you feel the same way as I do about Uther. I know you think he shouldn't automatically kill all those he suspects of having magic."

Morgana whipped her hands away as if she'd been burnt. "You _cannot_ say things like that here," she hissed.

"We are alike, you and I," Charlotte persisted. "The problem is you're trying to deny it and that's why you're struggling so much at the moment. The nightmares and these strange sensations are just a small part of of a much bigger issue."

Morgana glared at her. "What do _you_ know of my nightmares?"

Charlotte blinked, looking surprised. "You told me, just a few moments ago."

Morgana shook her head, trying to remember. "No, that can't be right..."

"Deep down you know what this is, Morgana. You have to accept and embrace it otherwise I promise you that, one day, it shall consume you."

"How can you say that? How can I do that? Here, in Camelot of all places?"

"But, we are to be sisters," Charlotte continued. "And so you need not be alone any more. I can help you – teach you."

"No..." She got up and backed away, "I don't trust you."

"But you _can_ trust me, Morgana. I promise." She smiled and moved closer. "Who else is there here who has the knowledge to help you?"

She shook her head again, continuing to back away, but Charlotte came closer still, placing one gentle hand on her cheek and stroking it. "You poor thing. So much fear," she said. "Others here care about you too, you know? You should trust in your friends and allow them in."

"I can't. I cannot put them in danger."

"Give them _some_ credit," she replied sharply. "Merlin, Gwen and Arthur can and will help you if you let them. They will _all_ be there for you if you ask, and so shall I."

And then, to Morgana's total shock, Charlotte leant forward and kissed her. And not just an affectionate kiss on the cheek either, but full on the lips, very much like Merlin had the day before.

She pushed the woman back wide eyed. "W-what do you think you're doing?"

Charlotte smiled slyly. "Perhaps it's not just the magic you're in denial about?"

"What? How dare you!"

"I shall return later and we can talk about this some more," Charlotte continued, moving a hand towards her cheek again.

"You will do no such thing," Morgana snapped, slapping the hand away. "Kindly leave my chambers."

"As you wish, my lady," Charlotte said and, still smirking, left the room.

~o~0~o~


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

_Gaining Merlin's trust had not made things much easier for Ouzel. Unfortunately his very great skill had allowed him to read her emotions just as well as she could read his, which meant he was now obviously suspicious of her. So, it looked as if it was time for her to go it alone and work independently for a while, which would mean she could find out what was really going on, whilst checking on all of the hosts at the same time._

_Her first stop was Morgana and it seemed Ouzel had been right to be concerned about this one. She did her best to explain things to him, telling him to be calm and practise patience and she thought perhaps she'd been successful. She hoped she still held enough influence with him to be obeyed._

_She mustn't stay here for too long though – two of them here at the same time would not be good for any of the parties concerned - and so, as quickly as possible, she moved back into Charlotte._

_It was easier to be here this time around, especially now Ouzel was fully recovered and had a better idea of what was going on. Her condition had added to her weakness on her last visit and had also made her more vulnerable to this type of magic. However, now she felt she was equal to the task and was able to cope with the strong taste and negative emotions, and focus on solving the mystery._

_She hoped she could talk to Merlin later about the differences she was experiencing too because she felt it was something He would be interested in. That tang – the strong taste – which simply felt a little unusual in Morgana, felt far more overpowering in Charlotte. Very bitter indeed. _

_And it appeared that the lady was here for a very specific purpose, and not just to marry Arthur as she claimed. There was something here in Camelot she needed to find, and one particular word on her mind …_

Revenge.

_Ouzel mused over that word, trying to recall its meaning from the others she had visited, but found the concept foreign and confusing. From what she could gather, Uther had harmed Charlotte's family in some way in the past and the lady wanted to do the same to him. Ouzel honestly couldn't see what good that would achieve. _

_Charlotte wanted the marriage to Arthur to happen soon so she could move her plan forwards quickly, but was she really a threat to Merlin's friends? Ouzel had to admit that she wasn't so sure about that now but, no matter what the lady's future plan might be, it was obvious that she was a threat right now. The sorceress was going to use magic to seek out the source of the 'buzz' she and Morgana had heard, and that would almost certainly mean Ouzel's discovery. No matter what she had promised Merlin, that was something she just couldn't allow._

_So, she pushed hard and took over Charlotte's mind._

_Again she found herself torn between her own agenda and her promise to Merlin and so, despite the urgency of the situation, she found time to talk to Morgana whilst in Charlotte's body and tried to make her understand that her magic wasn't a problem. Not only was the lady was surrounded by friends and family who cared about her, but there was Merlin in particular who would need very little persuading to help her – despite his promise to Gaius. _

_And, in the long run, this conversation should be a help to Ouzel too. The less volatile Morgana was, the better things would be for all concerned and, if she could start to trust Merlin and Arthur, perhaps they would be able to help her in the future. Perhaps when Arthur became king he'd revoke the magic ban for her and for Merlin – perhaps he may even change the silly rules that said those from different classes couldn't marry and then all of Merlin's friends could be happy. Not only that but, if Arthur allowed magic back, it was good news for Ouzel's future too. A world full of food again. A world where she could start to build a brand new life for herself and her children._

_Ouzel still wasn't sure how much of a threat Charlotte really was, but she knew she couldn't take any chances. Forcing herself on the sorceress a little more strongly than was polite, she persuaded the lady to kiss Morgana. Not in order to transfer, as she needed to stay here for a little while longer. No, she kissed her in order to shock Morgana and persuade her to stay away from Charlotte._

_And it seemed Merlin had been correct when he said it wasn't always considered polite for two of the same sex to kiss because, after that, Morgana couldn't get rid of Charlotte fast enough and Ouzel's knew all their secrets would be safe for a little while longer._

~o~0~o~

Merlin had felt nervous about leaving Ouzel with Morgana, but the being had been correct when she'd said there was little good in him staying when he'd been so firmly dismissed. So, he made his way downstairs and was able to spend some time with Anna, until Audrey appeared at the door, with a look that promised all sorts of horrible punishments if he ever dared hold the hand of a member of her staff again.

After that he went back upstairs to attend Arthur where he was informed that a large party was to head out on a hunting trip the following day. Merlin wondered if he could find an excuse to get out of the ride, as he was certain his time would be far better spent hunting for Ouzel and discussing their next move with her.

"What is it, Morgana?" Arthur asked in a bored tone as they arrived back at the prince's chambers to find the young lady pacing impatiently outside the door.

"I need to speak with you," she said.

"Yes, of course, come in," Arthur said whilst Merlin extended his senses to see if Ouzel was with her.

Morgana didn't move. "Alone," she continued pointedly, glaring at Merlin.

Arthur looked only briefly surprised before giving his servant a slight shrug and nodded to confirm the request. Now highly curious, Merlin got as close to the door as possible, attempting to eavesdrop, but was unable to hear anything through its thick wood.

He had not been able to sense Ouzel in Morgana for those few, brief moments but that fact didn't make him feel better.

Where was she?

"Were you spying on us, Merlin?" Morgana complained as she left Arthur's chambers to find Merlin hovering just outside in the corridor.

"No, my lady," he replied, working hard to play the role of the perfect servant. "I was just waiting to return to Arthur as I still have a number of chores left to do today."

"Well that's... good then," she managed.

"And are you feeling better now?" he asked her.

She shrugged. "The buzzing is still there but it's not as bad as it was. It seems Gaius' oil is finally working, albeit slowly."

"And was the lady Charlotte able to help you at all?" he pushed.

She scoffed. "Not really, no." She walked past him apparently offended by something. "I prefer Gaius' as a physician, I believe."

Merlin suddenly became worried. What if Charlotte had been successful? What if Ouzel had been discovered and expelled? But none of that explained why Morgana was still hearing the buzzing. Unless it really _was_ unrelated to magic and was just an ear infection as Gaius suspected.

"Was Morgana all right?" he asked Arthur as he re-entered the chambers.

"Hardly any business of yours," the prince replied.

"Only, she was complaining of an ear ache earlier," Merlin pushed.

Arthur stared at him for a while. "Haven't you got work to do?" he asked eventually.

"I've done most of it," Merlin replied moving to help the prince undress and tried another tack. "So, what do you think of lady Charlotte?" he continued, deliberately giving Arthur a cheeky grin.

"She's pretty and... nice enough, I suppose."

"Not as pretty as a certain dark haired serving girl, of course, but a good enough wife for you, I'd say."

"Shut up, Merlin."

He smirked. "A few years older than you too, which could be... interesting."

"Are you _asking_ for trouble?"

"Seriously though, how much do you know about her, Arthur? Can you trust her? You don't think - with all the recent history with your father and his previous choices of wife for you - you don't think there might be... a catch?"

"Not you too!" Arthur complained.

"Me too?" Merlin replied, brightening slightly. "Was that why Morgana was here? Is that... Ow!"

Arthur had come up and grabbed his arm firmly. "What part of 'Shut up, Merlin' did you not understand? Now, go and... polish my armour."

"All right, all right. I'm on my way," he complained. "There's no need to shove."

~o~0~o~

Merlin took a quick detour to check on Anna and Gwen but was unable to sense Ouzel in either of them, nor in the blackbird when he returned to his own room. Now that the female entity had adopted the name Ouzel for herself, Merlin had taken to calling the bird Culhwch - also from the legend – in order to save confusion. His wing was almost healed now and he'd be able to fly again soon, Merlin was certain. Of course, the extra boosts of magic he'd been given the bird twice a day had also helped in that regard and he seemed healthy and happy here too, despite his captivity.

"Where is she though?" he asked Culhwch, as if expecting some sort of reply. "I can't imagine her staying in Charlotte this long – not after she complained about the 'taste' of her magic that last time. So, if she's not there, where could she be?"

The blackbird ruffled his feathers and pointedly turned to face the window, before tucking his head under his wing, obviously far more interested in sleep.

Seeing no other option available to him, Merlin made his way to Charlotte's chambers and knocked on the door.

"Oh, hello, Merlin. Can I help you?" the lady asked.

He looked at her intently for a moment, trying to sense if Ouzel was there.

"Actually, I'm here to ask you the same thing?" he replied with a bright smile, attempting to act casually. "Gwen is a bit busy at the moment and so Morgana asked me to check by and ensure you had everything you need."

"She did?" The lady asked sceptically. "I was hoping to see her myself, in fact, but she has ignored my recent invitation to visit. Perhaps you could see if she received it?"

"Of course, my lady," he replied. "But I'm sure you'll see her at the hunt tomorrow. I believe she's also attending?"

"Yes, of course." Charlotte frowned, obviously distracted.

"And were you able to help her at all?" Merlin asked.

"Well, in the end..." She frowned as if struggling to remember. "I think so, yes."

Merlin nodded, recognising the confused look and assuming it meant Ouzel _had_ visited Charlotte at some point. However, it was also quite obvious that she wasn't there now – and he was fairly confident he'd be able to sense her presence if she were. So, where was she? Who was she with now? And how was he going to find her when he still had so much work to do for Arthur?

~o~0~o~

Arthur had been determined that his servant would accompany him on today's hunt, which Merlin had very mixed feelings about. He disliked hunting, of course, but it would be good to keep an eye on Charlotte and check she wasn't up to mischief. Of course, if Ouzel _had_ managed to find out what was going on, it would probably be far easier for them to counter any plans if Merlin was allowed to remain in Camelot.

And he still didn't know where the entity was right now. He would see two or three of his friends and confirm that she wasn't with them, only to be distracted by some errand or another and then have to start the hunt all over again.

"Merlin!"

"Yes, Arthur, I know. I'm almost ready, honestly. It's just that I had to get the picnic ready as well as check your bow and-"

"Didn't I say that you ought to slow down?"

"Sorry?" Merlin stared at Arthur for a moment before noting a rather softer expression on the prince's face and belatedly understanding. "Ouzel?"

He tipped his head and smiled. "Yes. Come here."

Merlin sighed in relief. "Of course. I've been worried."

Fortunately, this time the prince simply pulled him close into a hug and, with a sudden buzz and the now familiar sensation of the world apparently tipping to one side, Merlin quickly sensed Ouzel back inside him.

"What are you doing now, Merlin?" Arthur jumped back as if he'd been burned, looked highly alarmed at finding himself in such close proximity to his servant again.

"Nothing, Sire," he replied quickly, moving towards the door. "I'll just go and get your bow, shall I?"

"Something you should have done ages ago." The prince glared at him but still looked a bit worried. "Well, what are you still doing here? Hurry up we're supposed to be leaving in half an hour."

"Of course, Sire," Merlin replied, giving Arthur a messy bow before quickly leaving the room.

~o~0~o~

"_Where have you been? What happened?" _Merlin asked Ouzel the moment he was back out in the corridor. _"'I've been looking everywhere for you."_

"_And I was looking for you," _she replied calmly. _"I managed to get into Charlotte as planned but the only person who came close to her after she left Morgana was Gwen, and then I briefly moved to Anna just in case you met with her, and then I-"_

"_-Yes, well... I'm just pleased Charlotte didn't discover and expel you."_

"_You were worried about me?" _she asked, sounding a little surprised.

"_Never mind that," _he replied. _ "What happened? What did you discover?"_

"_Nothing good, unfortunately. It seems we were right to be worried about Charlotte, although I admit that I've no idea what we can do about it."_

~o~0~o~


End file.
